THE YELLOW BUNTING (OR YELLOW HAMMER) 107 
roads and squares of the villages are literally covered with these 
birds. Macgillivray informs us that it is more abundant in the 
outer Hebrides than in any other part of the country he has visited ; 
and that it is there generally known by the name of Sparrow. In 
England it is a constant resident ; but as it is much more abundant 
in autumn and winter than in summer, it probably receives acces- 
sions to its numbers from the north. From its habit of congre- 
gating in large flocks in the winter and alighting on arable land to 
feed, after the manner of the Skylark, it is sometimes called ‘ Lark 
Bunting’, and, from its favourite food, ‘Corn Bunting’. It builds 
its nest in a tuft of grass, often under the shelter of briers or a 
low bush, constructing it of dry grass with a lining of hair. Its 
song, which is harsh and unmelodious, consists of a number of 
short repetitions of the same note, terminating with a long one 
lower in tone, and is generally uttered by the bird perched the 
while on some slight elevation, such as a stone or the topmost twig 
of a furze-bush. On first rising, it allows its legs to drop as if 
broken. 
THE YELLOW BUNTING (OR YELLOW HAMMER) 
EMBERIZA CITRINELLA 
Head, neck, breast, and lower parts bright yellow, more or less streaked with 
dusky ; flanks streaked with brownish red ; upper parts reddish brown 
spotted with dusky. Female—the yellow parts less vivid, and spotted 
with dull reddish brown. Length six inches and a quarter. Eggs pur- 
plish or yellowish white, speckled and lined with dark purple brown. 
Tuis familiar and pretty bird appears to be generally diffused 
throughout all parts of the country, except the mountains. With 
its bright yellow head and breast it can scarcely fail to attract 
the attention of those even who are least observant of birds, and 
being by no means shy it will allow itself to be examined from a 
short distance. It may often be detected by its bright yellow 
plumage among the leaves of a hedge, neither fluttering nor hunting 
for food, but apparently waiting to be admired. As we approach 
within a few yards it darts out into the lane with rapid flight, 
displaying the white feathers of its tail, with tawny tail-coverts, 
perches on another twig some fifty yards in advance, and, after 
one or two such manceuvres, wheels away with rapid flight uttering 
two or three short notes as it passes over our head. In summer, 
especially during the hot afternoons of July, when most other birds 
have closed their concert for the season, it loves to perch on the 
top of a furze bush or other shrub, and repeat its simple song. 
This consists of about a dozen short notes, rapidly repeated and 
closed by a longer note, which I believe to be a musical minor 
third below. Sometimes this last note is preceded by another 
